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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22672063">Good and Swell</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reioka/pseuds/Reioka'>Reioka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Reioka's Tumblr Prompts [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mutual Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:27:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22672063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reioka/pseuds/Reioka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky is totally head-over-heels for Tony. It turns out, Tony is head-over-heels for him, too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Reioka's Tumblr Prompts [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/741783</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>598</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Good and Swell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So apparently I forgot to tag this with "prompts" so it's just been sitting on my tumblr unnoticed forever! Just bringing it over here so all my prompts are together lol.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Good and Swell</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re staring again,” Steve commented, peeling his orange.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky didn’t even try to deny it. He’d denied it the first few times and now Natasha just looked at him like he was pathetic when he tried to say he was looking at something beyond Tony. Besides, what was the point of denying it when basically the whole school knew how gone he was for Stark? Except for Tony himself, of course, the oblivious punk.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s just so cute,” Bucky whined, leaning his face on his fists as he watched Tony gesticulate wildly while he talked to Bruce Banner. “With his glasses and the way his hair curls a little bit and his stupid backpack that’s almost as big as he is–”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m waiting for the day when the weight of his backpack sends him down the stairs,” Clint cut in. “Fifty bucks it’ll happen by the end of the year.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Natasha shook his hand, taking that bet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d carry his backpack for him,” Bucky sighed, frowning. “I’d carry <em>him</em> around. I just want to hug him all the time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You are drawing dangerously into sappy territory,” Clint informed him sternly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Steve scoffed loudly. “You should have seen him when he had a crush on Andrea Mayfield in sixth grade. He has not even <em>begun</em> to get sappy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Barf,” Clint said mournfully, knowing he’d probably have to listen to it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s just so adorable,” Bucky began again, grabbing his water bottle and turning his attention back to the brunet. “And he’s so smart and <em>what,”</em> he cut himself off, crushing his water bottle in his clenched fist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bucky what the fuck!” Steve exclaimed, trying desperately to cover his sketchpad.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell is that?!” Bucky exclaimed angrily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His friends looked at him in confusion, then turned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tony had turned away from Bruce to talk excitedly with an upperclassman, Jim Rhodes. Jim Rhodes was in ROTC and was planning to join the Air Force after college. He was going to be valedictorian. He already had a scholarship to MIT. He was in or had taken every AP and Honors class the high school offered and wrote articles for the school paper when they were short-handed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh no,” Bucky said, because how could he compare to that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky was good at the sciences and absolutely awful at everything else except phys ed, and even that sometimes was a struggle with his prosthetic. Home ec? Somehow set his cake on fire. English? He’d cried through the coursework, because reading was okay but having to analyze literature was hard and could have so many interpretations. Science didn’t have interpretations like that. You either did your experiment correctly or you ducked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And extra curricular, well… Bucky had been on the baseball team, but after his accident he couldn’t swing a bat very well. Steve and Natasha had been trying to get him to join the track or soccer teams but he wasn’t sure about it. He still felt weird about his prosthetic most days.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m pretty sure Rhodes is straight,” Natasha offered, taking a bite of her sandwich.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Natasha was right ninety-eight percent of the time, but this could have been the two percent, Bucky lamented, as he watched Rhodes get Tony in a headlock and then give him the world’s most gentle noogie.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.-.-.-.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are Tony and Rhodes dating?” Bucky asked. He’d cornered Bruce after anatomy. Bruce was Tony’s best friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No,” Bruce said, looking confused. “Tony and Jim are best friends. They’ve known each other since middle school when Tony skipped a couple grades.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tony is so smart,” Bucky sighed, smitten all over again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bruce frowned at him. He looked annoyed now. “Oh my God, have you ever just talked to him?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky glared at him. “Why in the world would he want to talk to me? He’s so smart and cute and funny and I’m–”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, used to be one of the stars on the baseball team until your accident,” Jim Rhodes cut in, stepping up beside them. “Probably would have gotten a baseball scholarship. Your prosthetic is atrocious and Tony could totally make you a better one,” he continued, rolling his eyes. “You’re funny and smart and handsome but why would you ever date Tony because he’s so much younger and he blows himself up on a regular basis and he’s got these stupid goofy glasses–”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky drew himself up, offended. “Tony is adorable! How fucking dare you, you supposed best friend–”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I am literally just repeating things Tony has said to me,” Jim deadpanned. “God, you two deserve each other.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There were so many things that Bucky could reply to, but his mind was only stuck on one. “Tony thinks I’m cute?” He reached up to clutch at his prosthetic where it met his shoulder. “Really?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Disgusting,” Bruce sighed. “Well, this seems to be a discussion between you and Jim, so I’ll just be going. Betty’s meeting me at the diner.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jim waved. “Bye, Bruce. Good luck on your date.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bruce smiled at him, strained, and left before anything else could be said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky reached out to tug at Jim’s sleeve. “Hey, are you serious? He… he thinks I’m cute?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I mean, you are conventionally attractive, even if you could do with a haircut,” Jim said, smirking. “But yeah, Tony gushes about you all the time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really? But how come he never flirts with me?” Bucky asked, put out. “He flirts with everyone else!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s because everyone else doesn’t matter, you idiot,” Jim sighed. “He likes you, so you matter. He doesn’t want you to think he’s this gross little kid.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s only two years younger than me. He’s what, fourteen? It won’t be illegal for two years!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh my God, that’s what he said,” Jim moaned, dragging his hands down his face. “You definitely deserve each other. And by the way I have no interest in Tony. I saw the way you and your friends were glaring at me at lunch the other day. I’m dating Carol Danvers.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky stared up at him, shocked. Jim raised an eyebrow, apparently prepared for some sort of scummy comment, and looked completely blown away when Bucky blurted out, “Oh my God that makes so much sense. You’re both so hot and awesome.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…Why,” Jim began, then sighed and shook his head. “Never mind. Why don’t you just talk to Tony? He’ll make a fool of himself but just keep going if you really like him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I just want to hug him all the time,” Bucky admitted like the love-struck dope he was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jim smiled, reluctantly charmed. “Aw. It’s a good thing Tony likes hugs, I guess.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.-.-.-.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you don’t go talk to him, I’m going to stab you with this plastic knife,” Natasha said, holding it up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky squawked. “Why do you get so involved in our love lives?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because I just want my friends to be happy,” she snapped, glaring at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aw, Natasha,” Steve said, putting a hand over his heart. “That’s so sweet once you get over how aggressive and terrifying you sounded.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Natasha wordlessly pointed the knife at Bucky. He held his hands up, surrendering, and stood. “Alright, but you better be prepared to buy me ice cream and braid my hair if this goes to shit.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What part of what I said makes you think I wouldn’t do that, you idiot?” she asked coldly. “Of course I’ll buy ice cream and braid your hair if he turns you down. What sort of heartless monster do you think I am?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe if Natasha weren’t so weirdly aggressive towards her friends, she’d have more of them, Bucky lamented, as he walked over to the table where Tony, Bruce, Jim, Carol, Virginia Potts, Happy Hogan, and Phil Coulson were sitting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jim glanced at him, then grinned, elbowing Tony in the side. Tony turned to look at him and turned bright red, letting out a little ‘eep’ and clutching onto Jim’s sleeve.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Bucky had a say in it, Tony would only be clutching his sleeve from then on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, he looked at the younger boy, trying to get his thoughts in order. Then he blurted out, “I think you’re super cute and smart and funny and would like to date the hell out of you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh God could he just die right now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Virginia let out a slightly hysterical giggle that was stifled quickly when Happy elbowed her. The rest of the table was staring at Tony for his response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…I think you’re swell!” Tony said frantically, then let out a startled noise and covered his mouth. “Oh my God. I said ‘swell.’ I didn’t mean that–or, well, I did, but who uses the word swell anymore and–”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky was charmed. “I think I’m pickin’ up what you’re puttin’ down, doll,” he drawled, and where was that suavity a few minutes ago when literally anything would have been better than what he said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tony squeaked, covering his cheeks. “But you could have literally anyone else!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t really believe that, but he answered, “Yeah, but I want <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tony gaped up at him, still as red as a tomato, before he squeaked, “Who put you up to this?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Tony,” the table sighed, and Bucky would get the answers for the questions that this caused him to have, but that could wait until later.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Natasha threatened to stab me if I didn’t stop sighing about you like a dope and come talk to you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The table turned as one to look at Natasha, who was watching like a hawk. When she saw them looking at her, she slowly held up the plastic knife and did a little finger-wave with her free hand, because she was a freak and always knew when people were talking about her and what they were saying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s only slightly terrifying,” Tony said breathlessly. “What if she doesn’t like me? Will she stab me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She won’t stab you, Tony,” Virginia sighed, rolling her eyes. “Remember when you were her partner for Chemistry and tackled her to the ground when Hammer blew something up? She likes you. She’s just very aggressive to the people she likes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky pointed at her, because she was definitely correct and was therefore probably friendly with Natasha. Then he turned back to Tony, quietly pleading, “Let me take you out at least once before you turn me down?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tony mouthed at him wordlessly before he blurted out, “But I don’t want to turn you down!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky beamed at him, smitten.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I guess we’re going to need a larger table,” Phil sighed, to the confusion of everyone except Tony and Bucky, who were grinning at each other like idiots.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>.-.-.-.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah,” Jim said a week later as Bucky and his friends piled onto the table with them. “I get it now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Steve sighed, rolling his eyes. “I’m willing to put up with this as long as it means I don’t have to watch this jerk pine anymore.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky grinned and pulled Tony closer against his side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tony smiled up at him helplessly. “I can’t believe you thought I was dating Jim.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>I</em> thought you were dating Jim,” Carol said, rolling her eyes, as Tony and Jim blushed. “I figured that he was poly when he asked me out and it took me a month to figure out that no, you guys are just that codependent.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jim squawked. “We are not codependent!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky privately thought they were super codependent, and added, “Tony told me that he’s going to apply for MIT and when he gets in, you’re going to share a dorm.” He would have been jealous if Tony hadn’t started talking about how it would be just like middle school all over again because no one wanted to be friends with a kid that was two years younger than them and ten times smarter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s so I can protect him!” Jim exclaimed. “He’ll be sixteen! Someone has to take care of his dumb ass that first year!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You just want to have a room together so no one can get pissed that you’re building robots at one o’clock in the morning,” Virginia drawled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky turned to look down at his boyfriend, shocked. “You have robots and you didn’t tell me?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Steve sighed as the brunet began babbling about this shitty one-armed helper-bot that he’d made that he called Dum-E. “Now you’ve done it. We’re going to have to listen to talk about robots for the rest of lunch.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There are worse things we’d have to listen to,” Carol pointed out, shrugging.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” Natasha began, turning toward Steve. “What about that foreign exchange student, Margaret Carter?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Virginia leaned in, eyes sparkling. “Oh my gosh I have a class with her and Peggy is so cool!” She turned speculative eyes on the blond. “…You actually might be her type.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Steve screamed because he hadn’t realized she’d be turning her attention onto him next. And now it looked like Natasha would have a partner in crime.</p>
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